M-Lax: Warriors Gain Little East Final

MANSFIELD, Conn. -- The top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team scored the first seven goals of the match, then traded goals with No. 4 seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth the rest of the way in 14-5 victory in the semifinals of the 2012 Little East Conference playoffs Thursday night at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

At left: Tyler Fresen

With its sixth straight win, Eastern (11-5) moves into the championship game for the 11th time in 12 seasons and will host No. 2 seed Keene State College (14-3) Saturday at the Mansfield Outdoor Complext at 1 p.m.

Senior attack Michael Sullinger (Brookfield) led Eastern with four goals and four assists, giving him 41 goals and 30 assists for a team-best 71 points this year. Senior attack Jeremy Cogliano (Bedford, MA) added three goals and two assists as the Warriors compiled a +16 advantage in shots. Senior goalie Jamie Tommins (Fairfield) gained the win in net by stopping eight shots over the first 52 minutes.

Junior faceoff specialist Josh Dubinsky (Woodstock) won 16 of 21 faceoffs against three UMass Dartmouth opponents and picked up ten ground balls.. Sophomore faceoff specialist Dan Bell of UMass Dartmouth was helped off the field with his team trailing 5-0 six minutes into action with a left leg injury. He did not return.

In its 7-0 scoring spree over the first eight minutes, Sullinger had two goals and two assists, sophomore midfielder Mike Devine (Cheshire) two goals and sophomore midfielder Tyler Fresen (Newington) a goal and two assists. The Warriors capitalized by scoring on three of five extra-man tries and by commiting only two penalties, allowed the Corsairs just two man-up situations (both failed).

Eastern improved to 3-0 against the Corsairs in LEC playoff contests. Last year, the Warriors eliminated UMass in the first round, 14-8 at North Dartmouth, MA after the Corsairs had beaten Eastern for the first time in in 15 matches during the regular season, 10-9.